Foundations of SUMCHI - Chapter 3: The Horse’s Skin

Enjoy this free chapter from our Foundations of SUMCHI Level1 Book. To read the rest of the book, join our Patreon!

The skin is the horse’s largest organ. It has its own metabolism, selective permeability, glands, hairs, and it performs vital functions: protection, thermoregulation, and sensory detection. Embedded in the skin are dense populations of specialized receptors that distinguish temperature, pressure, vibration, touch, and pain. Even a single hair deflection sends an electrical impulse along a nerve fiber to the spinal cord and brain. In short, the skin does more than shield the body—it interprets the environment and reports how well the body is coping.*

Kinesthetic intelligence is one of my favorite terms. I first heard it during the 2019 pandemic on podcasts from FasciaGuide.com, and it perfectly captures what SUMCHI aims to restore. In plain language, kinesthetic intelligence describes how the skin, collagen matrix, and fascia act together as a vast sensory network that helps the horse sense its body in space. When that network is healthy and responsive, movement becomes clearer, more efficient, and more coordinated.

The strategically choreographed SUMCHI strokes are designed to create space in the tissues* so cells and fibers can operate optimally. By working through the horse’s coat and skin, these strokes improve the responsiveness of the skin and the underlying fascia. That improved responsiveness sharpens the horse’s whole‑body movement response: it’s how the horse reads touch, rider aids, and subtle shifts in balance or intent. The skin is not passive; it is packed with sensors that convert physical contact into electrical signals the body can use. 

*Following the patterns of SUMCHI Strokes and Stroke Routines allows you to effectively  interact with Muscle Hubs (MH) and Interhub Tension Lines (IHTL) of the collagen matrix (Level2)

Think of the skin as a contact point where outside information becomes inside information. Nerves grow into the top layers of the skin and form tiny, intimate connections that act like switches. When those switches are stimulated, they send signals that help trigger local repair, circulation, and longer‑term tissue changes. Around those nerve endings are supporting cells and very weak, steady electrical currents that carry information about pressure, irritation, or injury. Gentle, targeted stimulation wakes up this local electrical neighborhood and helps deeper tissues—collagen, fascia, and muscle—move and recover more freely. (Dr.Robert Becker)

SUMCHI and the Sumchi6 magnetic massager naturally help maintain your horse’s electromagnetic field.

Every living body produces tiny electrical currents. Whenever electricity flows, it creates a magnetic field. In animals, these bioelectric currents are extremely weak, but they are real and form a subtle electromagnetic environment around tissues. (Dr. Robert Becker) The Earth also has a magnetic field, and the body’s local fields sit within that larger background. Practically speaking, cells and nerves use small electrical signals to communicate; those signals generate tiny magnetic effects. The Sumchi6 magnetic massager that works gently with the skin and tissue can interact with this local electromagnetic neighborhood—mainly by supporting clearer signaling and better tissue conditions.

When cells and fibers can do their jobs, energy pathways and signaling work more smoothly, which supports circulation, hydration, and tissue repair. Those improvements cascade into better bodily function, clearer movement, and a more responsive partnership with the rider. In short: healthier connective tissue means better sensing, better movement, and a deeper, more intuitive connection between horse and handler.

The next chapter will get you started with Level 1 Strokes and the Stroke Routine. For extra support, free instructional videos are available on our Patreon channel — download the Patreon app and search SUMCHI Technique.

For deeper learning, your SUMCHI Journal is available at SUMCHI.com. The journal helps you develop observational skills by viewing your horse through the lens of the Equine Concertina and recording self‑grooming and self‑poultice behaviors. Over time, those notes reveal patterns of comfort (or discomfort) in the skin and give you practical clues to guide your SUMCHI work.